Gilbert has joined other communities across the country to increase awareness of the positive work economic developers and tourism professionals do to enhance the local economy.
Gilbert, AZ (May 6, 2019) – Mayor Jenn Daniels officially proclaimed National Economic Development and Travel & Tourism Week from May 6-11, 2019, to recognize the contributions of positive economic development and tourism and educate the community about the role of the Gilbert Economic Development and Tourism Department.
Gilbert Office of Economic Development
The Office of Economic Development’s commitment to the community is focused on strategic partnerships with businesses looking to grow in, or expand to, Gilbert, AZ. The Office provides expert site selection services to businesses looking at the Gilbert community which include:
- Operational cost analysis
- Incentive comparisons
- Workforce studies
- Analysis and information on state and local tax structures
- Connectivity to key resources
- Project Management
The Gilbert Office of Economic Development has increasingly focused efforts on industries that have a high concentration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM/STEM related) occupations. The department’s mission is to attract, grow, and retain business and industry in the community.
During the last five year period, Fiscal Year 2014 – Fiscal Year 2018, the Gilbert Office of Economic Development assisted with 176 projects that resulted in:
- $1.15 billion in capital investment
- 3 million new or expanded square-feet
- 12,000 announced jobs
Discover Gilbert: Travel & Tourism
In Fiscal Year 2018, the Office of Economic Development welcomed a full-time Tourism Administrator to the team to oversee business development and marketing efforts for the Discover Gilbert brand. This was also the first year that the Discover Gilbert Official Guide was produced as a marketing campaign aimed at attracting visitors. Discover Gilbert also partnered with Condor Airlines and the Arizona Office of Tourism to conduct familizarization tours, and hosted the Arizona Food and Farm Forum at Agritopia, Collectively, these efforts are designed to grow awareness of Gilbert as a destination and increase visitor activity with our target audiences.
In Fiscal Year 2018, travel and tourism had a major impact on the Gilbert community. Increased Tax revenue helps fund parks, public safety, and education.Through the efforts of the Office of Economic Development and Tourism, the Gilbert legislative district saw:
- $224,000,000 in visitor spending
- 1,700 jobs were created
- $23,000,000 in hotel sales
There’s so much to celebrate during Economic Development and Travel & Tourism Week! Follow along with us on Twitter, @GilbertAZEcoDev, and @discovergilbert, or on Instagram, @discovergilbert! We’ll also be using the hashtags #EDW2019, #EconDevWeek2019, #nttw2019, and #NationalTourismDay
The Fiscal Year 2019 will soon be coming to a close, so be sure to keep an eye out for our Annual Report. If you haven’t checked out our FY2018 Annual Report, be sure to learn more about past projects and future plans for the Gilbert community.
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About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council is the leading international association for professional economic developers. IEDC supports the work of more than 5,000 economic developers to create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, universities and a variety of other institutions.
About National Travel and Tourism Week
National Travel and Tourism Week, hosted by the U.S. Travel Association, is an annual tradition for the U.S. travel community. It’s a time when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to celebrate the value travel holds for our economy, businesses and personal well-being. This year’s celebration, which will take place May 6 – 11, 2019, is all about celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel community over the course of the last several decades.